The invention disclosed relates to dispenser packages and more particularly relates to easy opening, self-containing, easy to use, single use swabs.
The need for the application of fluids to surfaces runs the gamut from coating the skin with providone iodine or other antiseptics during surgery and births to the application of stains to wood or solvents to clean metal or plastic surfaces, as well as cosmetic fluids to remove or apply make-up, etc.
In the medical field, various complicated costly plastic units having frangible glass capsules containing providone iodine which are crushed by various means to release the fluid antiseptic into a sponge are presently used. In the low cost area, the swabs are invariably annoying to use; often getting contained products on the users hands and fingers.
The invention relates to dispenser packages and more particularly relates to easy opening, fluid containing, easy to use, single use swab means for applying fluids to a surface. The swab means of the present invention is a simple unit comprising a quick, easy opening dispenser package portion to contain the fluid and at least one sponge-like member. The dispenser package portion includes a side wall made from a thermoplastic film and has an outlet creating formation thermoformed into it. The outlet creating formation comprises at least one hollow plastic formation and/or a breakaway tip member or protrusion extending from a surface of the wall wherein a locus of a line of intersection of a wall of the hollow plastic formation and/or breakaway tip member or protrusion with the surface of the side wall comprises a locus of a fault line. At least one sponge member is disposed adjacent to an exterior surface of the dispenser package wall in such a manner as to cover the outlet creating formation. When a sufficient force such as a quick squeeze between the thumb and the forefinger, for example, is applied to the at least one outlet creating formation, an outlet opening is formed permitting a release of the fluid contents to flow from the dispenser package on and into the overlying at least one sponge member.
In one embodiment, the at least one outlet creating formation comprises a thermoformed scored frangible plastic formation. When a sufficient force is applied to the said scored frangible plastic formation, as described above, it is broken along said fault lines. Once the frangible plastic formation member has been broken along said scored fault lines, an outlet opening is created through the at least one wall for the fluid contents of the dispenser package portion to flow into the adjacent at least one sponge member covering said outlet. Additionally, the frangible plastic formation member may comprise the entire container.
In another preferred embodiment, the at least one outlet creating formation comprises a breakaway plastic tip member. When a sufficient force is applied to the breakaway plastic tip member, described above, the breakaway plastic tip member is broken from the at least one wall of the dispenser package. Once the breakaway plastic tip member has been broken from the at least one wall, an outlet opening is formed for the fluid contents of the dispenser package portion to flow into the adjacent at least one sponge member. It is preferred that the breakaway tip member has the same or similar construction as any one of the breakaway tips disclosed in earlier filed and related non-provisional U.S. application Ser. No. 08/788,713, filed Jan. 23, 1997, and now U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,413, issued May 16, 2000, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoing various brief descriptions and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory of the present invention, but are not intended to be restrictive thereof or limiting of the advantages which can be achieved by the invention or various combinations thereof The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting in part hereof, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.